To the Man One Row Up and Two Seats Over

To the man one row up and two seats over from me in church this morning, thank you. Thank you for being vulnerable. Thank you for showing the emotions that so many must have been feeling, but so few would show in public.

You don’t know this, but I prayed for you on my way to church this morning. I usually don’t pray before church, but today I felt myself drawn to pray for others that would hear today’s sermon. I know now that you were one of those others. I knew today’s sermon was going to be on how our relationship with our earthly father affects our relationship with our Heavenly Father, and that I’ve had a pretty great example of what fatherly love looks like. So I knew that while the message would be inspiring, because it was Tanya Whitaker giving it, I knew that it wasn’t necessarily going to be for me.

So on my very short drive to church this morning, as I was running very late, I prayed that everyone who was going to be listening would find a connection to Tanya and find some personal understanding and meaning in their own lives, from her lesson. I prayed for all the fathers. And I prayed for those without fathers, regardless of circumstance.

To the man one row up and two seats down, I just want you to know that I don’t know which of those categories you fall into, if any of them. I want you to know that I don’t understand your pain, but I felt it. I want you to know that you were meant to be at that service this morning. And I want you to know that I hope whatever takeaway you have from this morning is a good and lasting one.

You sir, are a stranger to me, but I want you to know that when I saw you cry, I cried with you. I can’t pretend to know anything about you or your circumstances, your past, or your present. But I know that I am thankful to you for serving as a reminder that church isn’t about me and that God does answer prayers. You don’t know it, but you were part of an answered prayer. And I hope that whatever you prayed for at the end of service this morning, is a prayer that God will answer for you.